- BRS leader KTR moves Supreme Court over MLA disqualification delay
- CJI Gavai to hear contempt plea on non-action by Telangana Speaker
Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) Working President KT Rama Rao has filed a contempt petition in the Supreme Court against Telangana Legislative Assembly Speaker Siva Prasad. KTR took this legal step alleging that the Speaker failed to act on disqualification petitions against ten BRS MLAs who defected from the party despite a clear direction from the apex court.
According to the Supreme Court’s verdict issued on July 3, the Speaker was required to take a decision within three months on the disqualification of the defected MLAs. However, KTR expressed dissatisfaction that no action has been taken so far. He complained that the Speaker has defied the court’s order, prompting him to move the Supreme Court again through a contempt petition.
The contempt plea was mentioned before a bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai. The BRS leader’s counsel requested an urgent hearing of the case. The CJI stated that the petition would be heard next Monday. With CJI Gavai set to retire on November 23, lawyer Mohit Rao observed that the case might extend until then. Responding to the concern, the Chief Justice remarked that “the Supreme Court will still exist after November 24,” indicating that the matter would proceed even beyond his retirement.
Earlier, BRS leaders KT Rama Rao, Padi Kaushik Reddy, and Vivekanand had jointly approached the Supreme Court seeking a mandatory direction to the Telangana Speaker to act on the petitions filed under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution. On July 31, the Supreme Court had instructed the Speaker to decide the disqualification petitions within a period of three months. However, BRS leaders noted that even after the deadline, no action has been taken so far on the defection cases.
KTR’s fresh contempt petition highlights growing frustration within the BRS over what it calls the Speaker’s inaction and defiance of the apex court’s direction. The party has been pressing for swift justice in the disqualification issue, insisting that failure to act weakens democratic accountability within the state legislature.
